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Celebrity chef Michael Symon’s burger chain will make its debut in central Ohio this month, with
plans for more B Spots in the works.

But with the premium-hamburger market heating up, B Spot has plenty of competition.

The first central Ohio B Spot, at 5091 N. Hamilton Rd. in Gahanna, is tentatively scheduled to
open June 26, said Brian Deibel, a regional manager for B Spot restaurants.

The Gahanna unit is expected to be the first of several B Spot stores to open in central Ohio,
but Deibel did not provide specifics. When the chain announced plans late last year to enter the
central Ohio market, it said then that it hoped to open four restaurants.

“When we were looking at Columbus options, we loved the neighborhood, the surroundings,” he said
of the Gahanna location. “We’re looking at other Columbus locations for the future but as a
starting point it just felt (like) it was just a good fit for us.”

Though B Spot hasn’t committed to any other locations in Columbus, Deibel said the chain is
scouting for sites. He said there’s no definitive timeline or specifics on where those restaurants
might open.

The Gahanna B Spot likely will employ 60 to 70 people when it opens, and it’s still hiring,
Deibel said.

B Spot, which also serves such items as brats and milkshakes, has four restaurants in the
Cleveland area, along with operations at FirstEnergy Stadium and Quicken Loans Arena and a
restaurant in the Detroit area.

The high-end burger market has been growing in central Ohio, with brands such as Bareburger, Red
Robin’s Burger Works, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Graffiti Burger and Smashburger increasingly
prominent.

Deibel said he’s not concerned about competition.

“I think we’re going to do great,” he said. “I look at it as more options, and I think the more
options people have the better.”

The N. Hamilton Road space was occupied by Johnny Buccelli’s, but the restaurant moved out in
the fall after opting not to renew its lease, said Dave Smith, vice president of operations of
Escape Enterprises, which runs Johnny Buccelli’s.

Johnny Buccelli’s still has a location on Bethel Road, Smith said.

How B Spot will perform in central Ohio remains to be seen, said Dennis Lombardi, executive vice
president of food-service strategies for Columbus-based WD Partners, a restaurant consulting
firm.

Symon is a well-known face on the Food Network, where he competes on the
Iron ChefAmerica program. He also serves as a co-host on ABC’s talk show
The Chew.

According to a Zagat review, B Spot earned a 24 out of 30 for its food, a 20 for its decor and a
22 for service. Any score over 20 is considered very good. The average cost for a meal was $20.

Lombardi said those positive reviews bode well for B Spot.

“That’s always a pretty good sign that they’re doing pretty well,” he said.